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Latest News

1,100 articles online

All Advanced Materials Associations Authentication Brand Protection Case Studies Companies Consumer & Industrial Products Countries Covert & Forensic Security Document Protection Editorials Enforcement & Surveillance Events Excise Products Free Government Illicit Trade Interviews News Overt Security Regulations Reports & Studies Standards Strategies Sustainability Tax & Revenue Tax Stamps Technology & Systems Tenders Track and Trace

Nicola Sudan

2 Feb. 2026

3 min read

Innovations Showcased at High Security Printing Asia

At the recent High Security Printing™ (HSP) Asia conference, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, over 300 delegates gathered to examine how technologies for banknotes, passports, and other secure documents are evolving to address today’s requirements for sophisticated, yet environment-friendly solutions.

Advanced Materials Countries

Nicola Sudan

2 Feb. 2026

2 min read

Using ‘Smart Glue’ to Fight Counterfeiting

Glue is everywhere. It holds together packaging, labels, books, electronics, furniture, car parts and medical products. Yet it is usually treated as a simple commodity – not as a security feature.

Advanced Materials

Nicola Sudan

2 Feb. 2026

2 min read

It Was Bound to Happen: BAT Pulls Cigarette Production Out of South Africa

It hardly comes as a surprise to learn that British American Tobacco (BAT) – which controls roughly two thirds of South Africa’s legal cigarette market – has decided to close its sole manufacturing plant in the country, as it struggles to operate in a market consumed by illicit trade.

Countries Excise Products Illicit Trade

Chander S Jeena

20 Jan. 2026

3 min read

Hong Kong Customs Reports Successful Trial of Tax Stamps

In the February 2025 issue of Tax Stamp & Authentication News™, we reported on Hong Kong Customs’ launch of a three-month pilot scheme under its new tobacco duty stamp system. The initiative introduced trial stamps on duty-paid cigarette packs to curb illicit trade and strengthen tax compliance.

Countries Tax Stamps

Chander S Jeena

23 Dec. 2025

3 min read

From Motors to Medicines: Malaysia’s Model for National Authentication

In October 2025, Malaysia fully implemented mandatory certification and labelling for engine oils as part of a national effort to combat the growing problem of counterfeit lubricants in the market. Before that, in 2005, Malaysia launched one of the world’s earliest nationwide pharmaceutical anticounterfeiting programmes, demonstrating the country’s longstanding recognition of the value of national authentication and supply chain control schemes.

Consumer & Industrial Products

Nicola Sudan

22 Dec. 2025

5 min read

2025 – A Year in Review

2025 was the year when Tax Stamp & Traceability News™ merged with Authentication & Brand News™ to form what is now Tax Stamp & Authentication News™ (TSAN). This merge reflects the reality of today’s markets and technologies, where government revenue recovery systems are embracing more products and functions, and brand protection programmes are seeking solutions that also allow them to comply with government regulations.

Editorials Free Free

Nicola Sudan

22 Dec. 2025

2 min read

South Africa Launches Multi-Industry Task Forces to Tackle Illicit Trade

The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) has launched several task forces aimed at strengthening South Africa’s response to illicit trade, with a particular focus on high-risk excisable and fast-moving consumer goods sectors.

Countries Enforcement & Surveillance Illicit Trade

Nicola Sudan

22 Dec. 2025

1 min read

Luxury Policing Just Stepped Up Its Game

The Ajman Criminal Investigations Department, in the UAE, has signed a cooperation agreement with Louis Vuitton’s Brand Protection Department to enhance market patrols, improve officer training on authentic product identification, and support legal action against violators.

Enforcement & Surveillance

Chander S Jeena

22 Dec. 2025

3 min read

NVIDIA and the New Reality of AI Chip Trade

In December, American tech company NVIDIA – famous for pioneering the graphics processing units (GPUs) behind PC gaming and the AI revolution – introduced location verification technology for its most advanced AI chips. The move aims to reduce the illicit flow of high-performance GPUs into restricted markets, especially China. Indeed, the fast-growing black market in AI chips has transformed these little pieces of silicon into high-value contraband.

Illicit Trade Technology & Systems

Nicola Sudan

22 Dec. 2025

2 min read

Heidelberg Brings Polar Finishing Automation In-House

Earlier this year, industrial printing press manufacturer Heidelberger Druckmaschinen acquired the brand rights, technology and intellectual property of Polar, a German producer of cutting and finishing systems for packaging and labels, including tax stamps.

Tax Stamps Technology & Systems

Nicola Sudan

22 Dec. 2025

5 min read

2025 – A Year in Headlines

India moves forward with track and trace on cigarettes; ITSA selected as liaison organisation to EU standards body; two independent studies reveal smokers in Uruguay prefer illicit cigarettes; predicting trends that will define stamps and traceability in 2025; Smurfit Kappa secures Irish tobacco stamp contract; Belarus’ role in illicit trade under scrutiny; Giesecke+Devrient launches smart label for supply chain tracking; understanding unclonable patterns; China integrates drug traceability codes with medical insurance data; real authentication labels on fake vapour products; balancing traceability and authentication – challenges for governments and manufacturers; notorious markets report highlights growth in counterfeit drugs from online pharmacies.

Editorials

Ian Lancaster

22 Dec. 2025

3 min read

iTRACE’s Secure Alternative to QR Codes

As QR codes become increasingly ubiquitous – and are now specified in high-impact initiatives such as the EU Digital Product Passport (DPP) and GS1’s Sunrise 2027 programme to replace 1D barcodes with 2D codes – it is important to underline that, by design, QR codes offer no inherent security in their most common form as a printed symbol on packaging or other substrates.

Companies Track and Trace

Linda Desrochers

22 Dec. 2025

4 min read

Canada’s Excise Stamp Journey – From Tobacco to Cannabis to Vapes

This article describes the journey of excise stamps in Canada, including how they have evolved and why they matter.

Case Studies Countries Excise Products

Francisco Mandiola

22 Dec. 2025

4 min read

From Medicines to Fuel: Traceability Tightens State Oversight in Argentina and Mexico

Despite the markedly different political profiles and public images of their respective presidential administrations, both Argentina and Mexico have embraced traceability systems as tools to strengthen control over products that are, quite literally, honey for illicit-trade bees.

Countries Track and Trace

John Winchcombe

19 Dec. 2025

5 min read

Evolving Role of Cash

At the Future of Cash conference in November, a number of presentations gave context to what is happening to cash around the world.

Nicola Sudan

4 Dec. 2025

3 min read

Ghana Extends Tax Stamps to Refined Edible Oils

Ghana’s Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, has announced the introduction of a tax stamp regime on refined edible oils, modelled after the stamps used in the beverage industry.

Countries Excise Products Tax Stamps

Nicola Sudan

4 Dec. 2025

2 min read

Parties to FCTC Protocol Adopt Decision on Tobacco Seizure Mapping

The Fourth session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP4) to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products – which took place 24-26 November in Geneva, Switzerland – has concluded with a series of decisions to strengthen measures on international cooperation, including a decision on the mapping of tobacco product seizures.

Events Excise Products Government

Ian Lancaster

4 Dec. 2025

3 min read

80% Digital + 20% Analogue = 100% Novel for H010

At the Optical and Digital Document Security™ conference, in September, George Hall, Chief Commercial Officer of UK company H010 (pronounced ‘holo’ but note the two zeroes and the figure ‘1’), presented this start-up company’s novel hologram/QR code security label.

Companies Overt Security

Nicola Sudan

4 Dec. 2025

8 min read

Protocol Progressing – But Mind the Gaps, Says MOP4 Report

At the recent Fourth Session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP4) to the FCTC Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products1, the FCTC Secretariat released its latest Protocol implementation status report2, including the status of track and trace programmes. While the report concludes that advances are being made with regard to Protocol implementation, there are still wide gaps remaining. Furthermore, the report cautions readers to tread carefully with regard to its findings, given that it is based on data that is generally quite sparse.

Government Illicit Trade Regulations

Nicola Sudan

4 Dec. 2025

2 min read

New Guyana Alcohol Stamps Reflect Global Shift

On 1 November, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) launched three new tax stamps on alcoholic beverages, together with an automated monitoring system for strengthened product traceability. The system was developed in partnership with GRA’s existing stamp provider Canadian Bank Note Company (CBN), which also supplies Guyana’s tobacco stamps.

Countries Free Tax Stamps Free

Latest News

Innovations Showcased at High Security Printing Asia

Using ‘Smart Glue’ to Fight Counterfeiting

It Was Bound to Happen: BAT Pulls Cigarette Production Out of South Africa

Hong Kong Customs Reports Successful Trial of Tax Stamps

From Motors to Medicines: Malaysia’s Model for National Authentication

2025 – A Year in Review

South Africa Launches Multi-Industry Task Forces to Tackle Illicit Trade

Luxury Policing Just Stepped Up Its Game

NVIDIA and the New Reality of AI Chip Trade

Heidelberg Brings Polar Finishing Automation In-House

2025 – A Year in Headlines

iTRACE’s Secure Alternative to QR Codes

Canada’s Excise Stamp Journey – From Tobacco to Cannabis to Vapes

From Medicines to Fuel: Traceability Tightens State Oversight in Argentina and Mexico

Evolving Role of Cash

Ghana Extends Tax Stamps to Refined Edible Oils

Parties to FCTC Protocol Adopt Decision on Tobacco Seizure Mapping

80% Digital + 20% Analogue = 100% Novel for H010

Protocol Progressing – But Mind the Gaps, Says MOP4 Report

New Guyana Alcohol Stamps Reflect Global Shift

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